Posted on 05/19/2005 1:43:53 PM PDT by Dog Gone
WASHINGTON — She may be able to hang a giant Lone Star flag outside her office, but Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison said today there's one part of her Texas culture she couldn't bring to the nation's capital — her handgun.
Hutchison said she didn't know when she arrived from Austin in 1993 that the District of Columbia prohibits keeping a fully assembled handgun in the home. The district's ban has been in place since 1975.
Hutchison, a Republican who is considering a 2006 run for Texas governor, introduced legislation today to lift the ban. If the bill passes she said she would keep a gun in her D.C. home.
Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and George Allen, R-Va., are co-sponsors.
"I have always had a handgun in the drawer next to my bed, and I would certainly again have one if it were legal in D.C.," Hutchison said.
Her office said her handgun is a Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum revolver.
Hutchison said after she learned of the D.C. gun ban, she dismantled her gun, bought a travel case for it and took it back to Texas. She said she's complying with the law even though she thinks it's unconstitutional.
"I think every woman in the District of Columbia should have the ability to protect herself in her home," she said.
Hutchison previously served as chair of the Appropriations subcommittee that oversees funding for the District of Columbia.
A similar attempt at repealing D.C.'s gun ban failed last year. Hutchison lends the clout of a member of the Republican leadership — she is the vice-chair of the Republican Conference — and her measure has 25 co-sponsors
No Second Amendment rights, even for a Senator. My, how far we've fallen!
Hurrah for her! I hope it passes.
Yet Teddy Kennedy could keep an Oldsmobile.
Hmmm...
Hey, gubment, mind your own freakin' business. 2nd amendment? Rise up, man. Quit letting the politicians take your rights.
Yeah, but he has to keep it disassembled under his bed.
Well since handguns are illegal in the District of Columbia, then there must be no handgun related murders either. </sarcasm>
You noticed that too? I wonder if she's given up on her AMTrak welfare plan?
Something about that doesn't seem right.
P.S. In my opinion, your sarcasm tag was redundant.
Wow - this woman has stones.
Cool. No girly gun for Senator KB. My wife, who is no shrinking violet on the subject of handguns or much of anything else, doesn't like to fire my S&W .357. Too much "bang" and too much buck for her taste.
The DC gun ban is truly outrageous. Technically, I break the law every time I bring some guns from home (MD) to my office (DC) so that I can go to the range after work. They stay locked in my trunk in the parking garage in the basement of our building during the day, so I am not too worried about them being stolen, but I do worry about being in an accident or otherwise getting stopped while I have them in the car. The DC authorities would like nothing better than to prosecute an out of state type for violating "their" little gun ban.
She didn't? How long has she not been paying attention? The rampant crime should have been her first clue.
"Her office said her handgun is a Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum revolver."
Well, now!! How excited am I!?! That's MY gun of choice! Of course, when I can get to the .20 gauge Remington semi-automatic...
Something about that doesn't seem right.
I agree. And in this case, I think she's stupid for complying with the law.
Be Ever Vigilant!
She's running for governor, trying to paint herself as tougher than the grandma with lots of names.
I'm open. Anybody but Perry.
"No Second Amendment rights, even for a Senator. " - thoughtomator
Unless one is a member of the Imperial Judiciary. A few decades ago, in violation of DC law back then, Chief Justice Warren Burger answered a knock at his front door while carrying a very large pistol. There was no investigation, let alone penalty, although Burger did become a gun control advocate in his subsequent court decisions.
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